Jump to content
American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

brownwho63

Full Members
  • Posts

    259
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by brownwho63

  1. (1) IL Route 4 between Springfield, IL and Staunton, IL rather than I-55. Route 4 was the 1926 alignment for U.S. 66. (2) The 4-lane Portland cement U.S. 66 alignment between Jerome, MO and St. Robert, MO via Devils Elbow rather than I-44. This was built in the 1940's to expedite military traffic to and from Fort Leonard Wood and features the famed Hooker rock cut. (3) MO 96 between Springfield, MO and Carthage, MO rather than I-44. This is a former U.S. 66 alignment. (4) U.S. 40 - Old National Road rather than I-70 between Vandalia, IL and Marshall, IL. These are all fun two laners and great time travel.....Bliss
  2. Hold on there a minute, Keep. I was in grade school when Give 'Em Hell Harry was Prez. I remember seeing the news photo of Harry smiling and holding the newspaper with a headline declaring Dewey to be the winner in '48. No dice for the slick NY (?) lawyer, though, and Harry went on to save us from an actual military invasion of Japan. As I recall, it was estimated that a minimum of one million U.S. lives would be lost during the invasion and that the war would have continued indefinitely. Were the bombs the right decision? Depends upon whose ox got gored, I suppose. Off-topic and political so I'll butt out now.....Bliss
  3. Thanks for the info. I'll look for the book locally, as I've always been a fan of the man from Missouri. The buck stops here......Bliss
  4. Here's a shameless plug for our MO 66 association's annual motor tour in September. Sorry for the lengthy post but this is a cruise not to be missed if you can possibly make it. MO has some of the most beautiful 66 scenery on the entire route and the committee has put together yet another awesome motor tour. Do yourself a favor and join us on our cruise across the state....Bliss Route 66 Association of Missouri's 20th Anniversary Tour, September 11, 12 and 13, 2009. Twenty years ago, some folks got together at a truck stop in Mt. Vernon, MO to talk about the “future” of Route 66 in Missouri. From that meeting, and a subsequent meeting at the Tri-County Truck Stop west of Pacific, emerged the Route 66 Association of Missouri. Today the Association is 600 plus strong, has done a lot to promote and preserve Route 66 in Missouri, and is celebrating its twentieth anniversary on its annual Motor Tour. This year's tour will be held September 11th 12th and 13th, will start in Joplin, MO and end in Pacific, MO. Tour registration begins on Friday, September 11, at 4:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Joplin, MO (3615 Range Line Rd.), where a block of rooms has been reserved for tour goers. Registration will go until 10:00 p.m. In addition, tour participants will be welcome to pay a visit to the 4 Women On The Route’s Kan-O-Tex station in Galena, KS for a little food and a great time Friday evening. More information on activities will be available at registration. On Saturday, September 12, tour registration will resume at 7:00 a.m. at the Holiday Inn, and the tour will depart promptly at 8:00 a.m. from the Holiday Inn. This years motor tour will be making several stops between Joplin and Pacific, Mo, at places highlighting the history and accomplishments of the Route 66 Association and those along Route 66 in Missouri that have come and gone over the past 20 years. Details on these stops will be included in your Motor Tour Agenda Folder available at registration. In addition, a APassport@ will also be provided at registration that participants can have stamped at many of these stops. The passport will contain valuable information about the history of the Route 66 Association and Route 66 in Missouri. There will also be information about other recommended stops provided at registration. One of the tour’s first stops will be at the Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage, one of the great architectural marvels to be found along Route 66. From the Courthouse, the tour will proceed caravan style to Spencer, leaving the Courthouse approximately 9:30 a.m. The tour will make its midpoint stop in Lebanon, MO. We have arranged for a block of rooms to be held at two motels for Saturday night, those being the Munger Moss Motel (1336 E. Route 66) and the Best Western Wyota Inn (1225 Millcreek Rd (just off Route 66). Saturday night=s dinner will be held at the pavilion at ATCHLEY PARK, on Highway 5 North of Lebanon (approx. 7 miles), where we will be able to enjoy some fine Bar-B-Cue served up by the folks at the Sand Spring Resort. On Sunday after the 8:00 a.m. nondenominational worship service, the motor tour will proceed caravan style from (the recently-closed) Wrink’s Market in Lebanon at 8:30 a.m. to the Witmor Farms Restaurant in Waynesville. From there, tour participants will proceed on their own to the Tri County Truck Stop West of Pacific . En Route, you are welcome to stop for a midpoint refreshment stop at the visitors center in Rolla. From the Tri-County Truck Stop, the tour will proceed caravan style through downtown Pacific to the Depot Park in Pacific (just south of Route 66, across the railroad tracks on CR F(1st St.), where a lunch stop will conclude the tour between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. The designated stops and caravans are highly recommended, but all tour participants are free to cruise at your own pace and select their own stops. Additional information on any planned stops or activities along the way will be made available at registration. For more information contact Kip Welborn (314-776-7385, rudkip@sbcglobal.net), Jane Dippel (314-843-7132, vestaon66@cs.com) or visit our website (where you will find a registration form you can download) at www.missouri66.org. Here’s hoping that you can join us while we're "cruisin' like its 1989!"
  5. Following is info from Kip.....Bliss OK...sorry if this is a bit long... 1) Henderson, KY (or Evansville, IN) has the Audobon Park and, I don't know the name, but it has one helluva breakfast nook that has great Country Cured Ham 2) Paducah Kentucky (located between Monkey's Eyebrow and Possum Trot--it is true!) is a great Ohio River Community that is the launching pad to Kentucky Lake (just East of Paducah--if you go there and want something to drink, get something in Paducah, the county where the Lake is located is dry; there is a GREAT Motel just off the lake called the Bel Air Motel--7428 US 641, Gilbertsville, KY), a great riverfront, the Irvin Cobb Hotel, and the home of Harry S. Truman's "Veep" Alben Barkley. There is also the Market Street Theatre, which is also a pretty famous place. 3) Wickliffe is the home of Ancient Buried City, which is an old Indian mound. 4) When you get to Cairo, go to Ft. Defiance Park, you can go to the very southern tip of IL and see where the rivers meet. Cairo is a sad old river town, there is a cool house there (Magnolia Manor) 5) After you cross the Mississippi, old US 60 followed US 62 through Wyatt, Bertrand and Sikeston...people like stopping at Lamberts, although I have never been a huge fan (I remember when it was in a gas station, and it served bad hamburgers and flat soda in Ball glasses--it has obviously evolved). If you stay on Malone, you can follow old US 60, which turns into SR 114 at the west end of town, out of Sikeston and on through Morehouse. You connect with US 60 (a 4 lane highway) just outside of Morehouse. The old road follows 114 to Dexter (there is a cool stretch in Essex, where you can find, just off of 114, a section of "half and half" (half concrete, half gravel (now asphalted over) road, and some cool signage). 6) Dexter is a pig lovers dream (I would eat there before Lamberts, but then again, I have a bias). They have two awesome BBQ joints--the Dexter BBQ and the Hickory Log, and a drive inn (the Dexter Drive Inn) that has great BBQ sandwiches. The America's Best Inn (on the north side of US 60 on the west end of town) is the old Hickory House Motel, and is a very cool place to stay (we stayed there for one of our sweetheart cruises). I was born in Dexter, and raised 5 miles north of Dexter (on SR 25) in Bloomfield. 7) About 10 miles West of Dexter you will pass between (or you used to before the 4 lane) two roadside parks. My Uncle Kip (yes I am named after him) donated the land for the park. 8) Poplar Bluff is a cool town (take CR B to go into the town). The Rogers Theatre (in downtown Poplar Bluff) is an old school movie palace, and is being renovated for plays and shows. If you take CR B into town and cross the Black River (a cool bridge) on the left side of the road--just off of old 60--there is the Frosty Drive Inn, long known for "susie Q fries"--the original curly fry. Somewhere in there, on the right side of old 60, was the law offices of Bloodworth and Bloodworth. If you remember the TV series "Desiging Women", the creator was Linda Bloodworth Thomason--she was the daughter of one of the Bloodworths. 9) I have not taken US 60 west of Poplar Bluff in a long time. There is a lot of 4 lane between Poplar Bluff and Van Buren. When you get to Van Buren, you will be in one of the coolest areas on US 60--the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The Current River goes through there, and the old US 60 bridge is now a foot bridge. There is a neat place just off the new 60 bridge to stay...Big Spring is just south of Van Buren--it produces more water per whatever than any spring in at least the US. 10) When you get to Winona (about 19 miles West of Van Buren) a great side trip is to take SR 19 North to Eminence. It is on the Jacks Fork River, and just West of there, on SR 106, is Alley Spring...there used to be a soda fountain in Eminence, and a lot of white trash glory along the river! There used to be a great little motel just outside Alley Spring called Harvey's--it had kitchenettes; my dad loved the place!) 11) I don't know if it is still there, but 9 miles west of Winona is Birch Tree. There used to be a Hickory House Motel there, which I was always fond of. 12) I am not real helpful between Birch Tree and Springfield. 13) About 30 miles West of Springfield, you can take BR 60 into Aurora. At 107 Washington Ave. in Aurora is the original headquarters for the Midwest Map Company, which put out some awesome maps! It is now MWM Dexter, Inc. 14) In Neosho, I think there is a mural there or around there commemorating George Washington Carver (maybe Diamond.) About 20 miles South of Neosho on SR 59 is Noel; I have seen postcards from there where rock outcroppings hang over the road. From there you are on your own...but Route 60 across Missouri is definitely worth keeping your eyes out for! If you want any more info let me know...Enjoy the ride! Slan go foill, Kip
  6. Physical beauty? MPG? Cargo space? Varoom? Other? At one time I would have said Corvette without question but after driving our '79 from STL to Santa Rosa, NM on 66 a few years ago, nope. Made a tough trip tougher because of the riding discomfort and lack of cargo space. I'm confident the newer models ride better but there's still no room for much of anything. Then, I wanted to buy a plain-jane Chevy cargo van (no windows) and equip it with a mattress, pillows, and cooler in the back and just basically live in it during a lengthy road trip but my nagivator nixed that plan. She wants a small rv with all the necessities instead. What has everything I want and need? Our '04 supercharged Monte Carlo; beautiful machine that can average nearly 30 mpg if I drive it right, varoom galore, cargo space of a pickup when we lower the rear seats, and total comfort. Best road trip vehicle I've ever driven......Bliss
  7. Sorry, I don't know anything about this. I've probably saw Jim's shield in '04 when Jane and us stopped at his place on our way to CA but, if so, I don't recall him saying about where it came from....Bliss
  8. Okay, when will you and Pat be organizing the American Road Cruise on Indiana and Illinois U.S. 50?....Bliss
  9. Your gas pump photo prompted me to post a shot of a restored gas station on the National Road in, I believe, Martinsville, IL. Could be Casey but I think it's Martinsville. This was taken recently on our way east to attend Pat and Denny's awesome Spring Cruise.....Bliss http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=497
  10. Yesterday's STL Post-Dispatch contained a photo from the Gateway Arch of six 14-by-12 foot arches set up Tuesday for NBC's reality show filming of "The Great American Road Trip." The show, which premieres July 7th, will feature seven families of four crossing the country in recreational vehicles following Route 66. My nagivator and I frequently used to talk about doing just such a trip but would it be as much fun cruisin' old 66 in an RV as opposed to a Chevy? Dunno but I'm gonna try to remember to watch the show....Bliss
  11. Today's STL Post-Dispatch states that "several state historic sites in central and southern IL are now open - or soon will be - seven days per week to accommodate more visitors during the traditionally busy tourist season." The sites include: Cahokia Mounds, Collinsville Lewis and Clark historic site, Hartford Fort Kaskaskia, Ellis Grove Vandalia Statehouse, Vandalia Lincoln Tomb, Springfield Lincoln's New Salem historic site, Petersburg Old State Capitol, Springfield Lincoln Log Cabin, Lerna The article further says that "expanded operations were made possible by a $1.6 million supplemental appropriation which allowed the IL Historic Preservation Agency to reopen 11 sites closed since December 1 and hire seasonal workers for daily operations at other sites."....Bliss
  12. What a fun cruise! Thanks to all who put it together. Here's the AR crew on the Cincy riverfront...Bliss http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=487
  13. If it helps your schedule at all, I can arrange it to where you can join up with us after we've toured the speedway and the cemetery. As of right now, I'm guesstimating that'd be around noon (ET). Then you can cruise 40 out of Indy with us. Thanks, but we won't make it to Indy by 11:00 CDT. Just go ahead with your current plans and exclude us for the trek to OH. We'll see you guys Friday night And, Denny, an earlier start on Sunday sounds good....Bliss
  14. We're planning to meet with everyone on Friday at the Golden Inn because our Friday day plans are still up in the air; ie, do we leave STL Thursday and mosey east on Historic 40, leave STL Friday morning and slab to the motel, etc.? What we'll probably do is to slab to Knightstown and the Hoosier gym on Friday sometime and then cruise to the motel. The BBQ for Friday night sounds great! (As far as food is concerned on this cruise, we're big fans of old Mom 'n Pop joints but we'll happily go along with whatever the cruise group decides.) Doesn't matter to us where the Saturday cruise officially begins, as we'll just tag along with you and/or Pat as you leave the motel. The Sunday "lazy morning" late start concerns me a little because being a "morning" person, I'm not much of a lingerer. Everything will work out great, though, so don't elevate your stress level over anything - just let stuff happen and enjoy the ride....Bliss
  15. We have reservations at the recommended motels for Friday and Saturday......Bliss
  16. I recall seeing three of them west of Vincennes, IN and, yes, they're very cool old truss bridges with beautiful brick wall approaches. Have a couple of pics in another album but don't know how to copy them to this page. Definitely worth seeing and better yet, walking across. Great photo op!....Bliss
×
×
  • Create New...